Diamondbacks' Justin Upton returns to lineup, then gets hit again

Two days after being hit by pitch to helmet, Upton hit by ball off outfield wall in 10th inning Tuesday

by Paul Coro - Sept. 27, 2011 08:31 PMThe Arizona Republic

Baseball players often talk about going to the plate with a clear head.

There was no doubt that Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton was able to do that Tuesday night after taking Monday off to be on the safe side following Sunday's game, in which he was hit on the bill of his helmet by a pitch.

"It was a precaution," Upton said. "There was nothing that I didn't pass. They just wanted to give me an extra day."

Upton had to retake the neurological test when he arrived at Chase Field on Tuesday, but he said the staff did not believe he had suffered a concussion from San Francisco pitcher Tim Lincecum's first-inning fastball.

Upton took his base and came around to score but felt nauseous between innings and was pulled.

Then Upton was pulled from the game in the 10th inning Tuesday after being in the face by a batted ball.

He was roaming back to try to field a fly hit by the Dodgers' A.J. Ellis but got smacked in the right side of his face after the ball caromed off the fence in right.

He was removed from the game after being examined by trainers and manager Kirk Gibson.

"He's OK," Gibson said. "I just yanked him because it hit him in the head. We know what happened the other day, but I think he's fine."

Holding runners

Tonight's starting pitcher, Joe Saunders, gets a break from the boobirds he often hears on the road. It is because he throws to first base to hold runners more than any Diamondbacks pitcher and more than all but three other pitchers in the National League.

Baseball-reference.com has Saunders credited with five pickoffs this season. It was a spring-training emphasis for the staff and something familiar to Saunders from playing for Mike Scioscia with the Los Angeles Angels.

"If you can control the running game or shut it down, no less, it can help your defense tremendously and keep you in a lot more games," Saunders said. "Sometimes it gets tedious, and you have to refocus on getting a hitter out, too. It's a fine line to not throw over there too much."

Gibson was particularly pleased with right-handed reliever Bryan Shaw's perfectly executed pickoff of Dodgers third baseman Aaron Miles in the ninth inning of Monday's 4-2 win.

"I take pride in (picking off) the real fast guys like (the New York Mets') Jose Reyes," Saunders said. "I think I got him this year. The Dodgers have (shortstop Dee) Gordon. If you get those guys with a free out, it's like hitting the restart button."

Short hops

- Asked if Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson would be his Games 1 and 2 playoff starters, Gibson said, "That's a pretty good idea, but we haven't specifically talked about it."

- The Diamondbacks held a simulated game Tuesday afternoon, with left-hander Zach Duke throwing 58 pitches. Switch-hitter Geoff Blum, who started Tuesday night's game at third base, hit exclusively from the right side, and Sean Burroughs, Collin Cowgill, Cole Gillespie and John McDonald also got at-bats.

- The Diamondbacks will be off Thursday, regardless of their playoff scenario.

- Tonight's game is being called "Fandemonium," which includes several fan giveaways.